My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic – Ponies on the Move

If it weren’t for my two-year-old daughter I wouldn’t volunteer to review any modern kids DVDs but alas here I am. Even the documentary Bronies couldn’t interest me (prior to the sprog). I am more of the school of live action (Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, Lidsville, Adams Family, Pee Wee’s Playhouse), and apart from a few shows am not a huge fan of animated shows or movies.

I was the right age for the original series but I don’t have any recollection of watching it. I even brought an ex-rental of the original series and watched a bit and had no memories whatsoever. It looked terribly washed out and dated and didn’t hold my attention, or my kid’s at all. When I popped this on she was hooked the moment she heard the music.

Ponies on the Move is a four episode collection, which is from Season Three, so technically the release is Season Three Volume Two.

The four episodes in this season are:

Magical Duel – Trixie the Unicorn challenges Twilight Sparkle to a duel where the most powerful unicorn gets to stay in Ponyville while the other has to leave forever.

Sleepless in Ponyville – The gang goes on a camping trip which gives Scootaloo time to try and impress Rainbow Dash (Scootaloo wants RD to mentor her) but when Dash tells scary camp fire stories Scootaloo struggles to stay awake.

Wonderbolts Academy – Rainbow Dash gets an invite to Wonderbolts Academy and heads off while Pinkie Pie worries that she won’t keep in touch and will forget her.

Just For Sidekicks – Spike (a baby dragon), convinces Twilight and her friends to let him look after their pets while they go to the Crystal Empire, but he’s got himself way in over his head.

It may be that I have come into the show a few seasons in, but I really can’t understand why a group of grown men love the show so much. Is it one of those things where its more about the community than the show itself? I understand why little girls love it, I understand why 20 year old females love it but men? Why don’t they like The Power Puff Girls? I have to admit I enjoyed it enough that I would be interested in watching the whole series as it’s a lot more accessible for adults than I was expecting it to be.

There is a warning on the PG rating stating that “some scenes may scare very young children” but my chippy never ran from the room screaming like she did during a scene in an episode of Strawberry Shortcake. She was glued to the TV the whole time and loved the music, her findings means more than mine so take her zombie trance, side-step dancing and giggles as 100% toddler verified for awesomeness.

Most little girls are going to love the show, it’s cute, colorful, fun and sweet but never to the point where its sickening. It strikes a balance with it’s cutesy-ness as there’s some scary and creepy scenes. It’s not cynical and not a typical “little girls show”, it’s actually quite clever. One of the things I enjoyed the most was the voices of the ponies they were done incredibly well and each character had a really unique and fun voice. It’s also really character driven which is cool as some kids shows are so dumbed down.

Overall, My Little Pony Friendship is Magic isn’t a show I’d oppose my daughter watching (yes I am one of those rare people who don’t have TV in the house, only DVDs.)Worth checking out if you have a little lady…. or a little lad (note to self – Google do young boys like MLPFIM?).

There’s a printable map of Equestria as a special feature but I didn’t bother to check it out as I don’t have a printer.

PS- Disturbing things I uncovered while researching the show: Cloppers (more disturbing than Bronies, yes that is possible); that a grown woman thinks its racist and that Rainbow Dash represents lesbians as angry tomboys (I was a tomboy, so was I a lesbian?), and that Conservatives think the show is indoctrinating children with feminist/gay/liberal agenda through its message of love and acceptance.

Just for the record, when I was in a young man in my early 20’s I was totally into the Powerpuff Girls – one of the best theme tuness ever too. I think it actually shares some team members with MLP, so there’s a valid comparison there.

Just for the record, as a teenager and man in my 20s I was totally into the Powerpuff Girls – one of the best theme tunes ever, too. I think it shares some team members (writers?) with MLP too, so there’s a valid comparison there.

It reminded me of PPG quite a bit, particularly the eyes and the movements of Rainbow Dash and of course the colours.

I think it’s a vast improvement on previous generations of MLP which were more typical little girls shows so I can kinda see why it appeals to men more. Still can’t wrap my head around the “brotherhood” of it though.